Navarro River Redwoods State Park

Must see if your driving by, although they aren't the biggest redwoods we saw on our coast trip. It was still really cool to see

A beautiful little spot. There are lots of places to pull off on this winding road to stop and explore the little trails. It isn’t like a typical park with marked trails but plenty of gorgeous spots to see the Redwood trees without going all the way to the national forest. Plus it’s free and you can bring your dog.

Superb forest area with beautiful redwood trees on either side of the road which creates a cool green canopy and makes driving such a pleasure. There are frequent laybys on the side of the road where you can pull out of the road and park your vehicle. We got down from our car and took in the beautiful sights and sounds of the forest. All in all a very refreshing experience

Such a beautiful place the trees are soooo big! It's a very curvy road for those who get car sick easily I'd use caution but the trees and whole landscape are so beautiful it's definitely worth it.

Amazing! Lots of trails in the side of the road. A beautiful drive through Sonoma wine countryside thst leads to the coast in the way to Mendocino, CA. It's a very scenic drive. A general store nearby and friendly locals.

What a hidden gem. Definitely pack water if you’re going to camp. Plenty of great spots to be had. Currently it’s first come first served. However there are several reservable places nearby.

This place is extremely light on amenities but in a stunning location. Right where the river meets the ocean and right on the beach! Self registration, $35 a night, first come, first serve only. We were there on a Friday afternoon and only one site was taken, so I’m not sure if they fill up even on the weekends during the off season. Ideal for small trailers, RVs, or camper vans. Not a lot of privacy, but again, beautiful location. A well kept secret.

Such an enchanting and peaceful drive through a forest of cascading trees. We pulled over to take a closer look at a giant fallen redwood tree in the woods. It's such a beautiful place.

Navarro River Redwoods State Park was one of the last places I explored in California before moving back to Washington State in October 2019. I was on one of my driving adventures north of the San Francisco Bay Area and noticed the sign for this park as I was driving on the road I was on. Not sure where a central hub was, I decided to explore by utilizing the pull-offs along the road. From different pull-off areas, I spotted a number of trails heading off into the redwood trees, however I opted to stay closer to my vehicle. Some of the remains of fallen redwoods were closer to where I parked and I had fun checking that out. I had recently gotten a buzzcut hairstyle and more than usual appreciated the sun protection the trees provided for my scalp/noggin.

I visited this beach in August while attending a music festival at Camp Navarro. It's a 15-20 minute drive to this beach from camp. This is my 2nd year visiting and both times were cold and windy even though back at camp it was hot. I attribute this to the position of the beach and the mountains/cliffs that surround. It's like the wind funnels down through and across the beach. I highly suggest you bring a hooded sweatshirt or jacket and pants just in case. There are beautiful home made teepees constructed from the driftwood that washes up that you can actually go inside and take a break from the wind. There's a bathroom and a couple porta potties. The parking lot is kind of small. Be aware, no lifeguard on duty.

Until today, I'd never seen a redwood tree in person. I've missed out. And if you've never seen one either, then you're missing out. California Route 128 goes through this beautiful state park on both sides of the road with a few narrow pullouts on both sides and the occasional lane that leads back to an organized campsite. I wasn't interested in camping here but I did park and take pictures and walk through these amazing trees for a little bit, hoping that I wasn't about to get eaten by a bear. No bears spotted. The main body of the park is eleven miles long and between 20 and 500 yards wide. There is also a beach section near the Navarro River bridge with campsites available on a first-come, first-served. That wasn't today's itinerary either. Absolutely magical and I'm so glad to have experienced this park. [Review 17615 overall - 406 in California - 1134 of 2022.]

Ever since I was exposed to the beautiful little town of Navarro last year, I've slowly began falling deeply in love with it. First it was with its' wine region, and now it has spread to its' lovely redwood forest. I often find myself trying to make excuses to come up here. Whether it's to go wine tasting, hiking, or just to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of city life. Navarro River Redwoods State Park affords me this luxury. It's the perfect heartwarming getaway. The drive is a bit long; about 3 hours away from where I live. But it's such a scenic and peaceful drive. The drive can easily be seen as part of the entire experience. Located off of the scenic CA-128 highway in Albion, this Redwood Park extends 11 miles throughout the Navarro forest. You could literally spend days exploring this park... DAAAAYS! So many fun unmarked trails that are surrounded by tons of gorgeous redwood trees. I felt like a kid running crazily through the forest. The air is so fresh here. Even on the hottest days, the shade from the Redwoods will keep you cool as you walk through the trails. If you're not into hiking or walking, you could simply just drive through the forest. It's only a couple miles away from highway 1 and Navarro beach campground (another serene place that you need to visit if you're in the area). It's worth a stop if you're passing through, even if it means getting out of your car for a few minutes and breathing in the fresh air of the Redwoods.

One of the few places you can stop with your pup and walk among the redwoods. It is labeled a second growth forest but there are plenty of old growth redwoods to wonder at. Several spots to pull out along the way.

Without any notable stopping points along Highway 128, we drove straight through (well not entirely straight because the road is curvy) and used our visit as a scenic drive. The drive is lacking as the trees don't compare in size to those in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park or Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Winery locals warned of flooding but the road seemed elevated enough to consistently drain off water.

Highway 128 through Navarro River Redwoods State Park is a beautiful drive. As you would expect, the trees are amazing. The road is perfect. However, you won't find any mobile phone service. If you do the drive around noon, the light flashing through the trees on to your windshield, and reflecting off of your - can be blinding. Stop and take plenty of pictures. All of your pictures will be about the same. That is, they'll all be of beautiful Redwood. There's even an awesome sandstone geological crop.

Okay sweet stuffs. Now it's time to tell you all about the time I almost drowned. No, not really. I'm over-exaggerating. It's in my blood, you see. After packing up and heading out, I convinced Duds to let me see a beach on our way up to Mendocino for lunch and shoppe browsing. He suggested we go here. Navarro River dumps out to the Pacific Ocean at Navarro Point, which is where we went. The campsite is just lovely, and I'll definitely be doing an over-nighter here sometime. They have these neat little spots all divided out with driftwood, each complete with a little pit and a bear box to stash your food stuffs in during the night. Though, I like to believe bears are smarter than those little boxes; they didn't look all that sturdy. Maybe they were raccoon boxes. Yeah, that must be it. We only stopped for a little while. This was Oscar's first time on a beach, so I hooked him up to the retractable and let him run crazy. He didn't know what to make of the waves coming in, and it was quite humorous watching him attack the water. Here's a clip of him trekking his way down to the surfline: http://youtu.be/9JfvPctQMw0. The very end of that clip is where my adventure begins. In the video, you heard me go "Whoa!". That's because my foot sunk into the sand the further out we went. With the inlet of water and the surf coming in, the sands were getting oversaturated. Did that stop me? Nope! Didn't even think about it. So after filming my little guy, I stuck my phone in my pocket and went rock hunting. It's one of my favourite pasttimes. That and bone hunting, which is much harder. Another story for another time. Okay, so we're walking along, getting closer and closer to the surfline, the waves are coming in, and my nose is to the ground picking up rocks that I find pretty and want to keep. Then, I see this really big rock (this very one, actually http://s3-media2.px.yelpcdn.com/photo/ymPTieJVwcl9wUNRPhop4w/l.jpg) stuck in the sand right next to the inlet of water. At the end of the clip, you can actually see it if you look closely. I said to myself, that's a fine chunk right there, and I've got to have it. So I walked over and bent down to grab it. As my hand touched the bit of stone, I suddenly realized that there was water over my shoes. I mean, OVER my shoes. Suddenly, time slows down. I slowly turned my head to look at the surf, and I ended up doing a complete 360. The waves had washed in at an angle and came in behind us to meet the inlet of water, so now we were trapped in this little spit of land while everything else around us was completely submerged in a foot of water! Time speeds back up. I shouted "Oh shit!", grabbed the rock (you know, I couldn't just leave it behind), turned, took a step - and plunged down to my hips in quicksand! Well, perhaps it wasn't actual quicksand, but as I said afore, it was oversaturated with water. Thank the gods I didn't go down all the way. I was able to climb back out and ran back to the car and dry land. And with all of my rocks in hand! It probably wouldn't have been such a big deal had I not been fully dressed - sweater, shoes and all. Had I been in a bikini and flip flops, I wouldn't have minded that much. But you see, I hate getting wet with clothes on. It's one of my many pet peeves. Now I have a souvenir commemorating my escape from quicksand. Said rock that got me in trouble now sits on my desk at work with a little plaque that denotes the date and location of said quicksand adventure. When I go back, I'll be better prepared. I'll be in a bikini and flip flops. Oh, on a side note, the point has these really interesting teepee structures someone created out of driftwood that was found along the beach. Check it out sometime.

This place is beautiful! And you can camp here. $25/night. I loved falling asleep and waking up to the sounds of the crashing waves. Hubby and I came here in late August and it was chilly, so remember to pack extra layers for the night. Also, because you are about 50 yards from the water, everything will be damp when you wake up in the morning. Have extra towels to dry things off. It gets super dark once the sun sets. Hubby and I were one of two occupants the one night we stayed, it gets kinda scary if you are by yourself. [ it's probably all those scary movies I've seen talking tho... :D ] There are about 10 stalls to camp, first come first serve. You pay your fees in a envelope and drop it in a locked box. No running water or flushing toilets, only two port-a-potties and a toilet in a building that's wheelchair accessible. Park rangers come around 8 am to clean up. Oh, and bring your pups :) mine enjoyed romping around the beach freely.

Awestruck! Take a small picnic lunch and enjoy the wonders of this park. Great for families.

It was an exceptionally and unseasonably hot July day along the Mendocino Coast. when we veered from Highway One onto Highway 128 into the shade of the redwoods that line the banks of the Navarro River. Even the shade of those majestic trees high overhead didn't offer adequate respite from the searing heat of that blazing hot day. As we drove further into the forest we noticed a pull off near a trail that led into the forest toward the river, so we parked and ventured into the woods, seeking relief from the heat. After a short walk we descended a bank of river sand and soon we were engulfed in the nirvana of the cooling waters of a miraculous swimming hole! A place like we enjoyed so many years ago in our youth and that we now shared with our children and grandchildren, splashing gleefully in the calm cooling waters of bliss. Nothing like a swimming in an unspoiled river setting to return to one's youth and its simple pleasures.